Paul Ryan re-elected Speaker of the House, loses just one Republican vote

In a solid vote of confidence, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has been re-elected to serve a full term at the helm of the lower chamber of Congress. His support was almost unanimous among the Republican majority in the House.

Ryan won 239-189, and suffered just one Republican defection when Rep. Tom Massie, R-Ky., voted for Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla. That’s a major sign of GOP unity in the House, especially coming after Boehner’s last election, when he lost 24 Republicans.

With so much power in their hands, unity is exactly what the GOP needs now. I think Ryan’s overwhelming victory is an indication that his walk on the ideological fence may be done (he’s been accused of turning away from his staunch conservative moorings over the past few years). His partnership with Donald Trump, while initially hesitant and awkward, has matured since early in Trump’s campaign. He seems poised to be both a champion for the president-elect and a source of good conservative leadership in the House going forward.

Regarding his appearance of betraying his conservative ideals, I’ve always felt it stemmed from the desire to be practical given the sitting Democratic president. I’m not endorsing the course of action that caused his approval among Republicans to tank as the election approached, but I do believe that it wasn’t a permanent shift in his political character. I’m glad to see his re-election as leader of the House, and I think his broad support indicates that he’s convinced his GOP colleagues that he’s still the conservative star we thought he was 6 or 7 years ago.